Track state threatens Warwick Stakes meeting

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Sydney chief steward Ray Murrihy said yesterday he would discuss alternatives to racing this spring at Randwick with Australian Jockey Club officials after criticism of the state of the track.

Murrihy was not working at Randwick last Saturday but took the opportunity to walk the track late on Saturday evening and said yesterday that he was "very disappointed" in the surface, which was badly cut up after the meeting and sported large and dangerous holes where horses had kicked out the turf.

He said he would urgently seek talks with AJC officials to discuss the next scheduled Randwick meeting on August 21. "There has to be real concerns whether there can be any improvement in the track in just a fortnight," Murrihy said.

Victoria's leading trainer, Lee Freedman, said on Sunday he would avoid racing on the Randwick surface while it was in such poor condition and Sydney trainer John O'Shea is looking to send some of his horses to Melbourne early in the spring to avoid racing at the track.

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The next scheduled Randwick meeting on Saturday week, which features the group 2 Warwick Stakes, is where many of Sydney's cups and Cox Plate horses kick off their spring campaigns. The meeting also includes important three-year-old races - the Up And Coming Stakes for colts and the Silver Shadow Stakes for fillies.

O'Shea has threatened to send his giant-killer Charge Forward immediately to Melbourne for the carnival if the August 21 meeting is not moved to either Warwick Farm or the Kensington track - the all-weather inside track at Randwick.

The meeting, which had been held at Warwick Farm for much of last century, was switched to Randwick this season as betting turnover at that track is historically more lucrative for the club than if it was held at Warwick Farm, the AJC's other racetrack.

But that is hardly likely to be the case if concerned trainers and owners decide it is not worth risking their horses on an inferior surface, with jockeys Jim Cassidy and Darren Beadman quick to question its safety.

Victoria's champion filly Alinghi, who had a Sydney trip cancelled because of the state of Randwick, was one of 18 nominations yesterday for Saturday's listed $100,000 William Crockett Stakes at Moonee Valley.

Also nominated for the race is the unbeaten Fasliyev filly Al Marwa, who burst on to the scene late last month with a six-length win for her trainer John Sadler over subsequent Caulfield winner Courtney's Cuddles.

Al Marwa, a $425,000 Sydney Easter sales yearling, is a half-sister to triple group 1 winner King's Chapel and is expected to progress to group 1 level later this spring.

Meanwhile, in Ireland on Sunday, Melbourne Cup winner Media Puzzle finished a credible fifth of six runners in his first race since that memorable day at Flemington in November 2002.

Media Puzzle, who has endured back and leg injuries since his fabulous cup win, finished only two lengths from the winner, Solskjaer, in the group 2 Royal Whip over 2000 metres at the Curragh.

His trainer Dermot Weld has entered Media Puzzle for this year's Melbourne Cup but says a decision on whether he runs will depend on the weight he receives and his lead-in form.